Thursday, July 03, 2008

cross-post from my-my-my-myspace

Readers have been asking about my next book, and at this point there is no next book. Which doesn't mean there will never be a next book. I took some much needed time off, but I've been working on a project that is generating quite a bit of interest. We might submit 100 pages to publishers in September, or we might decide it would be best if I wrote the whole manuscript before submitting. If this project sells, it will be literary suspense and it will probably be written under another name. Ugh. Sorry. It's the business. If there is a new name, I'll definitely get the info to Anne Frasier readers. The big downside of this publishing house change? If everything goes as smoothly as it could possibly go, I won't have a new book out until 2011 or 20012. That's because of the way books are slotted. Slots are often reserved eighteen to twenty-four months out, so when a writer switches publishing houses there will be no slots with her name on them until the manuscript is turned in. It could be that if a person sells on a partial a tentative slot might be held, but I've never experienced that. Usually for that first book with the new house the clock doesn't start ticking until the manuscript is completed, read by an editor, and determined publishable.

anne's myspace

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hey,
This about like where I am in my career...except without the awards and the USA Today bestsellers list next to my name...

Anonymous said...

steven, sorry you're in the same situation. people don't talk about it, but i think this is a typical cycle for most writers who stay in the business. it's the reason so many writers quit after a few books. i keep struggling to deal gracefully with the chronic cycle of failure and rebirth, but i've never done anything gracefully. :D

Kelly (Lynn) Parra said...

Yeah, the slots are tough to keep up with. I sent my latest proposal in later than usual, and it's...different. I'm kinda taking a chance and we'll see where it gets me but if my pub does like it, it may not be next year.

I'm rooting for you with this book! I think you're going to do awesome! =D

Jamie Ford said...

Best of luck with the new book! I feel like a babe in the woods learning this whole new editorial cycle. It'll 18 months from when I sold HOTEL to the day it's released. Ah, the glacial speed of publishing!

Anonymous said...

thanks, kelly! well, we shall see where this takes me. i hope you get good news on your latest proposal!

jamie, i KNOW! seems like i've been waiting forever for HOTEL! but it won't be that long now.